The first song I remember hearing
Lionel Richie – ‘All Night Long’
“My dad was a big Lionel Richie fan and I remember playing with his records. He was more the music guy in our house than my mum. I was about three years old I think and I would always put this song on his record player. This is before records were ironic.”
The first record I ever bought
Bobby Brown – ‘On Our Own’ (from the Ghostbusters II soundtrack)
“I was about five years old. I got it from the music store in the mall. It went through a few iterations: I think at one time it was called Specs, then it was called Blockbuster Music. The first CD I bought was Weird Al Yankovic‘s ‘The Food Album’, that was later – and then my sister got me John Coltrane‘s ‘A Love Supreme’. I had eclectic taste accidentally. I was a very nerdy and academic kid. Very hyperactive. I had a ton of energy.”
The first gig I went to
Lollapalooza 1996, West Palm Beach, Florida
“I was 13 years old. Rage Against The Machine and the Ramones were playing. I definitely got my glasses broken in the mosh pit. They also had Tibetan monks breaking pipes over their heads. I went with my sister and I don’t think I had drank alcohol yet. I was on three Coca Colas instead.”
The song that reminds me of home
Anything by Sublime
“I loved Sublime when I was in eighth and ninth grade. I grew up in Florida, and whenever short order cooks got off work, they used to play [the 1992 Sublime album] ‘40 Oz. To Freedom’ and smoke shitty, brown weed seeds with stems in it. It’s not necessarily my favourite music now, but it does remind me of home.”
The song I wish I’d written
Project Blowed – ‘Jurassick’
“In the middle of the song, the guy goes ‘Oh my god I’m atheist for christ’s sake!’ [laughs and then hums the opening riff] Mmeeuurgggghhhmah. Mmeeuurgggghhhmah. Mmeeuurgggghhhmah. It’s a deep cut. It came out when I was in college [at Berklee College of Music in Boston]. That was when I discovered a whole new world of music. It was like all the music nerds across America met in Boston. My mind was exploding with all these new discoveries.”
The song I do at karaoke
Seal – ‘Kiss From A Rose’
“This is my go-to. I used to nail it but I think I’m getting worse at it. I did karaoke the other day, brother. It was with a friend in the East Village [in New York]. It was a late night after a few drinks. It wasn’t a long session but it was a good session, about 45 minutes to an hour. ‘Kiss From A Rose’ completely doesn’t fit my aesthetic. That song is so precious and up its own ass. I never really understood who it was for – and why it was always on MTV. It wouldn’t go away. It was like a rash.”
The song I can’t get out of my head
Irma Thomas – ‘Time Is On My Side’
“[Sings in falsetto] ‘TIIIIIIIIIME IS ON MY SIDE. YES IT ISSS’. I just love that song!”
The song I can no longer listen to
Cher – ‘Believe’
“I went to see [the comedian] Fred Armisen live and he asked the crowd, ‘what do you think the worst song of all time is?’ I was just about to say Cher ‘Believe’ and as my lips were about to spit it out, some guy in the audience shouted ‘Cher! ‘Believe’!’. It made me think, ‘ if two people think it’s Cher and said it with no hesitation, then many more people must think that. It feels very corporately made. There’s nothing at risk. I just feel like a bunch of suits got in a room and put that song together, then brought Cher in, and taught her it. I have to leave the room if it’s playing.”
The song that makes me want to cry
Nina Simone – ‘Do What You Gotta Do’
“It’s a great song. I cry every time. I’m a massive fan of Nina Simone. She was originally a classical pianist. Classical music is fucking brutal. I had to learn a concerto by [19th century composer] Domenico Dragonetti for school. I’ll take a pop song any day. That shit is for the masses. Classical music is for the snobs.”
The song I want played at my funeral
Albert Ayler Quartet – ‘Love Cry/Truth Is Marching In/Our Prayer’
“I’m so glad that [late Japanese composer] Ryuichi Sakamoto made that funeral playlist. I don’t know if it’s narcissism or something, but I’ve fantasised about my funeral playlist too. John Coltrane made [jazz musician] Albert Ayler play this live at his funeral. I’d play it because I want my soul to ascend to heaven. I want people to laugh and be happy at my funeral.”
Season six of ‘The Eric André Show’ premieres June 4 at midnight ET/PT on Adult Swim in the US. All episodes of season six will be available to stream exclusively on Channel 4 in the UK and Ireland soon
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